Nicholas Medeiros ran towards many personal records this season for the Old Bridge High School boys’ winter track and field team.
The junior continued Old Bridge’s strong tradition in the 800-meter dash this winter, racing to gold at the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 4 Championships and collecting two silver medals at the NJSIAA Group 4 Championships and the the Meet of Champions.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Medeiros said. “I started off the season pretty fast and knew that I could have a great season.”
Medeiros put his name on the map at the Ocean Breeze High School Invitational in Staten Island, taking home first place with a personal best at the time of 1:53.68.
Success continued for Medeiros at the Greater Middlesex Conference Championships on Feb. 1 at the John Bennett Indoor Sports Complex in Toms River, when he beat out Monroe Township High School runner Jordan Kaplan for gold.
Medeiros later helped Old Bridge’s 4×400 meter relay team place first at the conference championships with a time of 3:29.55, giving the junior two gold medals on the day.
A soccer player by trade, Medeiros credits a lot of his accomplishments this season to running for the Old Bridge’s boys’ cross-country team this fall.
“It definitely helped me get stronger to run both the 800 and the 4×400 relay,” Medeiros said. “I had so much more strength throughout the season to race hard and push myself to more success.”
At the Central Jersey, Group 4 meet on Feb. 22, Medeiros once again topped Kaplan in the 800-meter dash, racing to a time of 1:56.03 to be crowned state sectional champion.
Medeiros added a silver medal to his ledger at the state sectional meet with Old Bridge placing second in the 4×400 meter relay.
Medeiros had to settle for silver at the Group 4 championship with Kaplan edging him out this time around for the first place prize.
Next up for Medeiros was the Meet of Champions on March 8 at the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Complex in Staten Island.
It would be the best and most memorable race Medeiros would run in his career.
Battling an ankle injury, Medeiros trained as much as he could to compete in the event and put together a courageous effort to place in the top-three with a new personal best time.
Medeiros came out of the blocks fast and pushed as hard as he could to the finish line for a personal best time of 1:52.76.
“It showed me what I am capable of doing,” Medeiros said. “I was so excited to PR. It was a well executed race. I have no regrets about it.”
A terrific winter season has Medeiros believing it will propel him to having a great spring track season for Old Bridge.
The New Jersey scholastic spring sports season is still in question due to the coronavirus.
As Medeiros looks back on what he accomplished this past season, he would never have thought that two years ago he would be where he is at with track and field being his main sport, and not soccer.
Through all of his accomplishments in track and field, Medeiros credits his coaches and family support to helping him get to where he is today.
As he speeds around the track, he can always hear his parents cheering him on, even though he can’t see them.
“Old Bridge always has great coaches and consistently has guys that run well every year,” Medeiros said. “My family are my biggest fans. It’s a great feeling knowing my family is there supporting me.”
Follow Steven Bassin on Twitter @SBassin_Sports